HUBLI: The indefinite agitation by members of the Karnataka Rajya Pakshateeta Raita Hitarakshana Kendra Samiti who are demanding revision of the minimum support price for onions entered the tenth day on Thursday.

Farmers from Yadawad, Hebasur, Amargol, Kusugal, Byahatti and surrounding villages participated in the dharna on Thursday. The samiti members have taken exception to the "silence" of Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti over the plight of onion growers in the district. "When farmers are protesting on the streets, these Ministers have kept themselves aloof," they said.

They have suggested that the Government to do away with the Price Fixation Committee appointed by the previous Government which according to them had provided wrong information. The samiti members have urged the Government to finalise the minimum support price recommended by the Dharwad district administration and also increase the number of procurement centres.

"If the Government finds it difficult to revise the MSP or faces technical problems in procurement, it should announce price compensation" to the tune of Rs. 5,000 an acre to the onion farmers", they said.

The samiti members have decided to block the Puna-Bangalore National Highway at Gabbur Cross near Hubli on October 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to press for their demands.

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